Hinge structure for automobile hoods



v L475fi7 J. P. ROBERTSON .HINGE STRUCTURE FOR AUTOMOBILE aoons Dec. 4 1923.

Filed Aug. 8, 19 19 I N VEN TOR.

' W T UQUU U aaiaea er. a, 1923.

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P. ROBERTSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GMIERAL MOTORS COB- PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE:

HINGE STRUOTURE FOR AUTOMOBILE HOODS.

Application filed August a, 919. Serial at. 316,123.

To all whom it may comem:

Be it known that I, J OHN citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, Wayne County, State of Michigan,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinge Structures vfor Automobile Hoods, of which the following is a specification.

My inventlon relates to hood construction ,for automobiles and similar motor vehicles,

cess to the interior of the hood and to the engine located within the same and whereby the vehicle is driven.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge connection 'whereby the doors or cover sections which close the hood may be readily opened, the said hinge mechanism being located within the hood and concealed by the doors thereof;

so that the exterior of the hood presents a smooth appearance and a surface unbroken b rivets or other fastening devices, or by elements concerned with the opening and closin of the hood door sections.

A rther object of my invention is to provide an improved scheme for securing the cover sections to the hinges which permit said sections to be opened, and wherein the rivets or equivalent fastening devices, whereby the cover sections are secured to the :15 hinge members, are concealed in the finished structure; thereby providing a hood structure which will present a better appearance, and in which the fastenin members in question are protected from t e atmos here and 4a to a considerable extent prevented rom rust- A further object of my invention is to provide an improved automobile hood structure wherein a centrally disposed supporting plate which supports the doors or cover sections of the hood acts also as a tie rod or tie' member for assisting in holding the upper end of the-radiator of the vehicle in proper position relative to the front end of the body to of the vehicle.

Further objects of my invention will appear in the following description in which the distinguishing features of the invention are pointed out at length.

ea Referring to the drawing wherein the pre- P. ROBERTSON, a

ferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a fragmentaryview showing a section of my invention upon a vertical plane indicated by the line I, I of Figure 2; Figure 2 is a similar view showing a sectlon upon a vertical transverse plane indicated by the line H, II, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating my invention; and, I

Figure 4: is a view showing a section upon a vertical transverse plane indicated by the line IV, IV, Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 5 designates in a conventional manner the forward end of the body of an automobile or similar vehicle, and 6 designates in a similar way the radiator which forms a part of the cooling system for the engine thereof.

Extending between the front end of the body portion or cowl 5 and the radiator structure is a supporting plate 7 which forms the top and central portion of the hood which closes the space occupied by the en gine between the body portion and the radiator, said supporting plate being provided with brackets 8, 8 adjacent its ends and upon the under sides thereof, and through which brackets bolts 9, 9 extend, said bolts being in. threaded enga ement with brackets or lugs 10, 10 secured one to the radiator structure and the other in any suitable manner to the forward end of the vehicle body, aswill be understood from Figure 1 of the drawing.

The brackets and bolts above referred to provide means for connecting the two ends of the supporting plate with the front end of the automobile body and with the radiator, so'that the said plate forms in efiect a tie rod holding the radiator and body portion the proper distance apart one from the other, and the bolt and lock nut construction referred to provides for adjusting the parts so that there will be no lost motion between them vand so that the radiator structure will be held in proper position.

The supporting plate 7 is preferably formed from a strip of sheet metal, one side edge 11 thereof being folded under the main central portion of the plate to thereby strengthen the same and provide a finished side ed e upon one side of the plate, and the other side edge 12 thereof being also folded under the central portion of the plate to are thereby further strengthen the same and provide a finished sidge edge upon the other side of the plate. One or both of these folded over portions are provided with extensions 13 which are folded or curled around a hinge rod let which extends longitudinally of the supporting plate and is supported thereby, and which hinge rod, as will be observed, is located centrall of the plate and beneath or-upon the un er side thereof.

This method of construction. provides a strong and comparatively rigid supporting plate for supporting the doors or cover sections whereby the space enclosed by the hood is closed; and said plate is, in addition, materially strengthened by the hinge rod which obviously contributes to and assists in the action of the supporting plate as a tie rod extending between and acting to steady the radiator, and hold the same properly spaced relative to the forward end of the body of the vehicle.

Pivotally supported by the hinge rod 14 are two hinge members each of which comprises downwardly extending portions 15 having tongues 16 at their upper ends which are curled around the hinge rod to thereby provide an ordinary form of hinge structure; said hinge members being bent and made to extend outwardly from the lower ends of the portions 15, as shown at 17 and thence upwardly until they merge with and provide flanges 18 which lie at about the same level as the under side of the supporting plate 7 when the cover sections are closed and in the positions in which they are shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing.

These hinge members swing about the hinge rod 14 as a centre and whereby they are pivotally supported, when the doors or cover sections to which they are secured are swung upward and into the positions shown in Figure 4:, and the form of said hinge members is such that they clear the sides of the supporting plate during such movement, as will be appreciated.

Secured to the flanges 18 of the hinge members above described are two doors or cover sections 19, 19 which, upon being swung upward and into the position shown in Figure 4, afford access to the interior of the hood.

The extremities 20 of these cover sections are secured to the flanges 18 of the hinge members by means of rivets 21 spaced along the said flanges, and the main portions of the said covers are. folded down onto the portions 20 and made to overlie the same and lie in contact or substantially in Contact therewith, from which it follows that the ends of the rivets 21 which extend through the cover sections are covered and concealed by the said sections after they have been folded and made to assume their final position.

newness The construction referred to also provides a hood construction in which there are no projecting rivet heads or other elements to present an unsightly appearance, and also provides a construction in which the edges of the cover sections which lie adjacent the side edges of thesupporting plate 7 are rounded whereby a raggedor cutting edge at the inner ends of the doors is avoided.

Finally the folded over connections between the cover sections and the hinge memhere provides a construction in which the rivets are protected from the action of the atmosphere, and in which water cannot find its way into the joints between the parts, thereby preventing rusting at the joints and weakening of the holding action of the rivets, as will be appreciated.

The inner rounded edges of the two cover sections to which the hinge members are secured lie adjacent the outer rounded side edges of the supporting plate 7 when the cover sections are in their closed positions, as best shown in Figures-2 and 3, and the sides of the cover sections lie within recesses 22 when the doors are closed, thereby providing a smooth and uniform exterior surface for the hood as a whole. These recesses are provided in frames associated with the front end of the body 5 and with the radiator 6, and suitable resilient material is provided within these recesses against which the side edges of the doors rest when the hood is closed, to thereby form a cushion between the doors and the elements with which they cooperate and prevent noise due to slamming of the doors, as will be understood.

Having thus described and explained my invention, I claim'and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an automobile hood of'the class. de scribed, a supporting plate extending along and forming the top and central portion of the hood; two brackets secured in place upon the under side of said plate and located one at each end thereof; bolts extending one through each of said brackets and whereby the ends of said supporting plate are fastened to the forward end of the vehicle body and to a radiator structure; a single hinge rod extending longitudinally of said plate and supported thereby, and located centrally ofsaid plate and beneath the same; two up wardly swinging hinge members both of which are pivotally connected with said hinge rod and which members extend downwardly from said rod, and then outward and upward, so that said members will clear the side edges of said supportin plate when they are swung upon said ro as a pivotal support; and two cover sections secured one to each of said hinge members and the inner edges of which lie in substantially the same plane as and adjacent the side edges of said supporting plate when said cover sections are in their closed positions.

2. In an automobile hood of the class described, a supporting plate extending along and forming the top and central portion of the hood; means whereby the front and rear ends of said plate may be secured to the forward end of the vehicle body and. to aradiator structure; a single hinge rod extending longitudinally and throughout the greater part of the length of said plate and supported thereby, and which rod is located centrally of said plate and beneath the same; two upwardly swinging hinge members both pivotally connected with said hinge rod and which members extend downward from said rod, and then outward and upward so that said members will clear the side edges of said supporting plate when they are swung upon said rod as a pivotal support; and two cover. sections secured one to each of said hinge members and. the inner edges of which lie adjaacent the side edges of said support-'- ing plate when said cover sections are in their closed posltlons.

3. In an automobile hood of the class described and in combination with a radiator and Vehicle body, a supporting plate extending between said-radiator. and said body portion; two brackets carried by and located one at each end of said supporting plate and upon the under side thereof; means whereby said brackets may be secured respectively to the radiator and to the forward end of the body of the vehicle; a single hinge rod supported by said supporting plate and located upon the under side thereof; and two cover sections both of which are pivotally connected with said hinge rod, and which sec tions are adapted to swing about said red as a ivotal support.

4. n an automobile hood of the class described, a supporting plate formed from a strip of metal. one side edge of which is "turned under and made to lie beneath one side edge of said plate, and the other side edge of which strip is turned under and made to lie beneath the otherside edge of said plate, one of said turned-under sides having projecting portions extending from free edge; a hinge rod of less length. than said plate and located beneath and at the centralportion thereof; and two brackets se cured to and located one adjacent each end of said supporting plate and between the ends of said hinge rod and the ends of said plate and whereby the same may be secured in lace between the front end of a vehicle bo yand a radiator, the extending portions aforesaid being bent about said hinge rod to thereby support the same from said supporting plate.

5. In an automobile hood of the class de scribed, a plate extendingalong and forming the top and central portion of the hood; a hinge rod extending lon itudinally of said plate and located centrally thereof and beneath the same; means independent of said hinge rod whereby the ends of said plate may be secured to the body of an automobile and to a radiator therefor; two upwardly swinging hinge members pivotally connected with said plate through and by means of said hinge rod; and two cover'sections secured one to each of said hinge members and the inner edges of which lie adj acentthe side edges of said supporting plate when said cover sections are in their closin positions.

6. In an automobile hood of the class described, a plate extending along and forming the top and central portion of the hood; two cover sections disposed one upon each side of said plate; and a single hinge connection located beneath and extending throughout substantiallythe entire length of said plate and whereby said cover sections are pivot-ally supported from said plate.

7. In an automobile hoodof the classdescribedya supporting plate extending along and forming the top and central portion of the hood; two cover sections disposed one upon each side of said plate; and a single hinge member supported by said plate andextending I along and located beneath the same and whereby said cover sections are pivotally supported.

8. In an automobile hood of the class described, a plate extending along and forming the top and central portion of the hood; two cover sections disposed one upon each side of said plate; a hinge rod located beneath said plate and extending longitudinally throughout substantially the entire length thereof; and means whereby and through which said cover sections are pivotally connecte'l with said hinge rod.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN P. ROBERTSON. 

